Reckless Homicide Charge In Crash That Killed Orland Trustee's Parents

HOMER GLEN, IL — More than a year after a Homer Glen crash that killed the parents of an Orland Park trustee, a Joliet man has been indicted for reckless homicide and aggravated DUI, according to Will County Circuit Court documents.

Christopher Haramija, 38, of Joliet, was driving westbound on 143rd Street, near Hillcrest Road, on June 21, 2022, when his vehicle went into oncoming traffic, police said at the time.

His vehicle struck two cars, causing one to catch fire. Four people were critically injured, and two people—Kathleen Repsis, 73, and Adrian Spaargaren, 77—died in the crash.

Orland Park trustee Joni Radaszewski was driving the car that carried her father Spaargaren and her mother, Repsis. Repsis was pronounced dead at the scene; Spaargaren was taken to Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox, where he later died.

Haramija was taken to an area hospital with multiple injuries, police said. In June 2022, he was initially cited with improper lane use, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and transportation of open alcohol. Homer Glen-Lockport Patch reports that in an indictment filed on Sept. 14, Haramija now faces five counts of aggravated driving under the influence, six counts of reckless homicide and two counts of reckless conduct. A warrant was issued for Haramija, and bond was set at $100,000.

"While nothing can bring my parents back," Radaszewski said, "the warrant offers a small sense of comfort knowing that steps are being taken to provide justice for my family."

According to the indictment, Haramija drove his car "at a speed that endangered the safety of any person or property," and he did not main his own westbound single lane of travel.

"He left the single westbound lane of travel, and he drove across the double yellow lines indicating a no passing zone, and into and in the oncoming single eastbound lane of travel," the indictment states.

Radaszewski in August 2022 also filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Haramija, alleging negligence, driving at a high rate of speed, failure to brake to avoid a collision, and failure to sound his horn to avoid a collision, among other claims. Radaszewski sought damages of $100,000, according to Will County Circuit Court documents.

He is set to be arraigned Oct. 27.

Radaszewski is a recent addition to the Orland Park Village Board, having won election in spring 2021.

— Patch Editor Andrea Earnest contributed to this report.